Direct digital radiograph. Technicians role in obtaining good images.

OBJECTIVES

To determine the rejected rate of direct digital radiography (DRs) in our hospital, benchmark it with other institutes, and explore the causes of rejection.

METHODS

Data were collected between June 2012 and May 2013 at King Abdulaziz University Hospital, Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The rejected analysis was registered in the system, which is a built in software. Reasons for rejection could not be deleted, and no further imaging is allowed for the same patient without reporting the reason for rejection. Reasons for rejection are predefined by the machine.

RESULTS

Of 89,797 images that were acquired, 13,371 were rejected, with a rejection rate of 15%. Positioning errors were the main reason for rejection, followed by artifact 28.5%, and motion 17.1%. As for body parts pelvis, abdomen, spine, and knee were recorded as rejected with higher rates than the average.

CONCLUSION

This study has shown a number of unnecessary repeated imaging of patients. In addition, reject analysis in DR is proven to be an indicator for quality in imaging, the reasons of rejection that have high percentage for occurrence should be given more focus during patients scan.